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CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio — Was a local postal carrier delivering more than just the mail?

He faces charges, accusing him of using drugs on the job.

Bennie James Motley III, 20, of Maple Heights was charged Tuesday with drug trafficking, theft and possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Police say he was a postal carrier, working out of the branch in Chagrin Falls.  Investigators say on February 12th, his supervisors called Chagrin Falls police, suspecting him of using drugs, possibly while on the job.

“Him and the supervisors detected a strong odor of marijuana and believe that it was stronger when he returned from his route than it was when he appeared for work that day, which he was also late for work that day,” said Sgt. Kim Libens.

Police officers went to the post office to question him.  They say he returned from his route two and a half hours late.

“They searched him with his permission and located a digital scale containing bits of marijuana inside, small plastic baggies, each containing several pills said to be Hydrocodone, they were tightly knotted in a manner consistent with drug trafficking and a large amount of cash money was located on his person,” said Sgt. Libens.

Chagrin Falls police say they are still investigating the case and trying to determine whether Motley could have been selling drugs while on the job as well.

“He was relatively cooperative with the officers, he did eventually admit that he did not have a prescription for the medications that were found on his person, and that he had taken them from a family member at his home,” Libens said.

Officers say they, if true, the allegations posed a bigger safety issue.

“If he is using drugs while he is operating a vehicle, that would put any number of citizens he would come in contact with daily in any amount of danger, so that’s a first and foremost public safety concern,” said the sergeant.

David Van Allen, a spokesman for the United States Postal Service says Bennie Motley was hired about three months ago, but he is no longer working, pending the outcome of the case.